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Ryan Bittle
Ryan James Bittle (born March 21, 1976 in La Crescenta, California) is an American actor. He began appearing on television in 1994. Early Life Ryan Bittle is the son of Kathy Homewood, a nurse and ICU director, and Jim Bittle, a retired Glendale Fire Captain. He has a younger brother Jeff, and an older brother Ron. Ryan attended Crescenta Valley High School (where he was an All-American water polo player), Pasadena City College, The London Academy of Dramatic Art, and The Juilliard School, Drama division (group 31), in New York City. Career Ryan Bittle originally had plans to play NCAA water polo and then to attend medical school before he discovered acting. It was in his senior year of high school that he began to take an interest which led to him holding off on college for awhile to instead play a role in the television series Sweet Valley High.[[|1]] After two seasons, 1994–1996, he left the show as his relationship with co-star Bridget Flanery caused problems on the set. While studying at Pasadena City College, Ryan continued to work as an actor with guest starring roles in 1996 on the popular television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Boy Meets World, and The Parent Hood. Ryan also had a recurring role on 7th Heaven where he was Jessica Biel's early love interest. He also had supporting roles in the films Tear it Down, Devil in the Flesh and The Clown at Midnight.[[|2]] It was while working with Christopher Plummer on The Clown at Midnight in 1998 that Bittle decided he wanted to leave Hollywood for New York to spend some more time studying at The Juilliard School. It was in New York that Bittle was in numerous productions with actors Nathan Baesel, Jennifer Carpenter, Daniel Breaker and James Martinez.[[|3]] Back in Los Angeles, Bittle continued with a recurring role on the successful WB drama Dawson's Creek and PBS drama American Family. He also had varying guest star roles on shows such as the CBS dramas CSI: Miami, CSI: NY, Numb3rs, and NCIS.[[|4]] Ryan also played an actor for the second time in his career on Courteney Cox's TV show Dirt. In 2003, Bittle starred as Christian opposite Mark Harelik and Gregory Itzin in Cyrano de Bergerac at South Coast Repertory.[[|1]] He continues to work today with three films released in 2010: Take Me Home Tonight, an 1980s comedy starring with Topher Grace and Anna Faris; Backyard Wedding, starring with Alicia Witt and Frances Fisher; and the horror/thriller ''Lure. '' Personal Life Ryan Bittle enjoys playing sports. He plays golf and tennis when he can. And, in his spare time he plays masters water polo and coaches polo at the high school and club level.[[|5]] Bittle also enjoys flying and got his private pilot's license in 2001. Filmography Trivia *Ryan was the original "Todd Wilkins" for the first two seasons of Sweet Valley High, before leaving the show. *Like his replacement Jeremy Garrett and the Daniel twins, Ryan was born in 1976. *Ryan was the second SVH cast member to guest star in Boy Meets World, the first being Bridget Flanery.